On balance then, it was a pretty good year for sitting in a darkened room I reckon. Here's my personal top ten films of 2012.
10: The Raid
Bruising Indonesian martial arts genre-flick. Minimal story, jaw-dropping moves. Just edged ahead of "Dredd" in the best cops-v-drugs-baron-run-tower-block-siege-battle movie of the year competition.
9: The Grey
"Liam Neeson: Wolf Puncher". Much more fun than "Liam Neeson: Kill Everyone In Europe part 2".
8: The Dark Knight Rises
The epic final instalment of Nolan's superior and sophisticated comic book odyssey. Complex, spectacular, just a little uninvolving.
7: Argo
Unfussy but deftly crafted thriller of CIA shenanigans during the 1980 Iranian revolution. Wisecracking script and edge-of-seat tension beautifully balanced.
6: Beasts Of The Southern Wild
A stunning, unique and uplifting tale of childhood coming-of-age in a twisted, run-down world. Bolstered by remarkable flights of fancy and an astonishing central performance from its six year old star.
5: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Overlong opening, but otherwise highly engaging first chapter in Jackson's epic Hobbit adaptation. Bags of charm, spectacle and adventure, if not yet high drama. Against all the odds it still ended sooner than I wanted or expected.
4: The Cabin In The Woods
Enormously fun meta-horror, made for film-geeks, by film-geeks. Kind of like The Truman Show... with added Zombie Redneck Torture.
3: Looper
Time travelling who's-your-daddy paradoxes ahoy. Old Bruce Willis vs. young Bruce Willis. The maths doesn't bare too much close analysis, but you'll be too entertained to care.
2: Life Of Pi
Staggeringly beautiful fable and a simple but profound meditation on the nature of faith. Will stay with you.
1: The Artist
A perfectly formed, perfectly joyous piece of sheer entertainment. A film in love with film and in love with love.
